We don’t blame the Democrats for being frightened. The Republicans have made it clear that they’ll use any opportunity to brand anyone who votes against this bill as a terrorist enabler. But Americans of the future won’t remember the pragmatic arguments for caving in to the administration.

It is impossible to read about the rush to tyranny embraced by the right wing fanatics- fanatical to avoid defeat in November, fanatical to spare themselves and their dear leader from being tried for war crimes, fanatical to not lose their place, on their knees, gulping lobbyist juice and getting more corrupt and depraved by the minute- no, its impossible to read about the actions of these craven cowards without wanting to gag, or shoot someone.

The United States has lost its top slot in a global ranking of economic competitiveness published yesterday because of mounting concern among businesses over its budget deficit and crumbling faith in its institutions.

The world’s largest economy fell from first to sixth place in the World Economic Forum’s annual survey that is based on interviews with 11,000 business leaders.

The harsh verdict comes a week after the International Monetary Fund highlighted a US slowdown as the biggest threat to the world economy.

MINNEAPOLIS – As teenagers in northern Minnesota in the late 1950s, Ric Kangas and Bobby Zimmerman would spend hours playing guitar and singing. During one of those sessions, Zimmerman asked his friend to record it.

Kangas had no idea he was recording the man who would soon become Bob Dylan. Years later, he came across the tape, which features Dylan singing three songs and playing guitar on another.

In early October, Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas will offer the tape at auction. Kangas said one Dylan expert appraised the tape at about $100,000, but Kangas has no idea if it will fetch that much.

“My name is John Batiste. I left the military on principle on November 1, 2005, after more than 31 years of service. I walked away from promotion and a promising future serving our country. I hung up my uniform because I came to the gut-wrenching realization that I could do more good for my soldiers and their families out of uniform. I am a West Point graduate, the son and son-in-law of veteran career soldiers, a two-time combat veteran with extensive service in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq, and a life-long Republican. Bottom line, our nation is in peril, our Department of Defense’s leadership is extraordinarily bad, and our Congress is only today, more than five years into this war, beginning to exercise its oversight responsibilities.”